But academic workers in the University of California system authorized their union on Wednesday to call for a strike over something else entirely: free speech.
4811, represents about 48,000 graduate students and other academic workers at 10 University of California system campuses and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
The strike authorization vote, which passed with 79 percent support, comes two weeks after dozens of counterprotesters attacked a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of California, Los Angeles, for several hours without police intervention, and without arrests.
The vote does not guarantee a strike but rather gives the executive board of the local union, which is part of the United Auto Workers, the ability to call a strike at any time.
Eight of the 10 University of California campuses still have a month of instruction left before breaking for summer.
Persons:
Lawrence, counterprotesters
Organizations:
University of California, U.A.W, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, United Auto Workers
Locations:
Los Angeles